Day 1167: For the Fourth Time

To a musician, one of the best parts of life is meeting other musicians, especially when they're your favorite musicians! Of course, meeting your favorite saxophone player four years in a row isn't a chance everyone has, but it's definitely become a highlight of my spring semester these past few years! 

You can find the FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD times I met Mr. Eric Marienthal by clicking the links, but this year we headed back to the Shawano Jazz Festival, or Shazz for short, with a whole bunch of jazz musicians ready to see Marienthal and this year's other guest artist, Chuck Loeb. 

For those of you that don't know these musicians, Eric Marienthal is a professional saxophone player and produces some of his own music as well as with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. He's won one Grammy award and has performed with artists such as Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton-John, and many many others. Chuck Loeb is a Grammy nominated guitarist, composer, and producer, as well as a #1 jazz recording artist. He has been a producer of over thirty world-renowned recording artists and produced 18 solo CDs. So I guess you could say that these guys are pretty important in the music world. 

This year at Shazz, Eric performed my favorite song of his, "Baby Cakes," and they also did some tracks from their new album Bridges. If you're looking for some new jazz to listen to on this fine day, definitely check both of them out! After all, I know for sure that Eric has plenty of connections to Disney, and I'm sure Chuck does as well! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 811: Making Up The Time

I think on some level we all have a part of our past that we want to erase. Simply put, I think Once Upon A Time did a great job of encompassing one way this comes about with my beloved Killian Jones tonight, showing us a bit of the pirate side he's trying so hard to let go of. But for me, I don't have 300 (or a million...who knows) years of hardcore pirating in my past. Nope. Just a few old pictures of a person that looks nothing like me.

For instance, here's Eric Marienthal and I two years ago, and then a picture of us yesterday:

Alright, so maybe there's some resemblance there. But how about THIS ONE: 

 

You see, I've spent a significant amount of time trying to rid myself of pictures from a number of years ago. Why? Because I look like an entirely different person! And you know what? I find that I take more pictures at Disney now than I ever did before because I'm trying, in some subconscious way, to make up for the lost time. 

And one of the major parts of this is my makeup. 

Previous to like a year and a half ago I really didn't wear makeup. Not at all. It just wasn't my thing. I mean, I had it and would wear it for special events and stuff, but for the most part it just wasn't part of my routine. Now, that's all changed, not because I feel like I have to, but because it makes me feel more like myself. Of course, my family continuously makes fun of me for having to do my makeup before going to the parts, but at the same time, I also do my makeup for a television show and I really don't think I should be questioning the whole Disney makeup thing here. 

Overall though, pictures have become a really important part of my life, and as the trips go on I find myself wanting to have pictures taken. This past trip has a myriad of great pictures and I couldn't be happier about it! For instance: 

Oh yes, the tables have certainly turned...and now I just need to make up a whole bunch of lost time when it comes to priceless Disney pictures!

Have a magical day!

Day 810: Third Time's The Charm

I like to believe that the saying "The third time's the charm" is actually true, but then again, I find I'm pretty superstitious altogether (11:11 people...it works). While THAT is a topic for another blog post, I think that the time I spent surrounded by music yesterday definitely showcases the ways the saying rings true.

I said a number of times yesterday that the Shazz Festival Day is better than Christmas, and really, it is. Not every musician has the chance to see their favorite performer, in concert, attend a workshop with them and then meet them in person...and most absolutely don't get to do it three times in a row. Amazingly enough, I am one of those lucky people.

Two years ago I attended my second Shazz Festival, although technically it was the first year I stayed for the entire experience. As a senior, I had high hopes of getting into the All Star Group, and when I did, I was thrilled. However, that definitely wasn't the best part of the day. Oh no...the best part was getting to play with professional saxophonist Eric Marienthal, a musician that eventually become my inspiration in my major. Plus, that day was the day I cite as when I decided to be a music major, and gosh it was a great choice.

And then last year I went back, not as a student, but as a musician and alumni, having the chance to meet Eric in person again, as well as the spectacular Gordon Goodwin, who has come up with some seriously great music. After all, he is an award winning composer.

But this year...this year I got to continue the tradition by meeting Eric (again) and another professional musician, Andy Martin, the lead trombonist in basically everything, including Dancing with the Stars!

And to conclude my day of music, my family, plus a friend of Jonny and my friend Ashley, attended the United States Army Field Band Concert, which was a pretty spectacular experience as well. The group is impressive, as it should be, considering it's made up of some of our country's most dedicated musicians. For some, they may have enjoyed one of the choral pieces, or the opera, or something else, but for me? Star Wars. That's right. They played the original theme from Star Wars and it was just about the greatest thing ever. My parents actually attended the Star Wars in Concert tour several years ago, and I didn't go along, simply because I didn't yet appreciate Star Wars. I kind of regret that decision. Either way...Star Wars...which also happens to work perfectly for a little way Disney has once tied into my day. 

Oh, and I know I mentioned this on the first blog post outlining my first trip to see Eric Marienthal, but Eric and Andy, as well as many of the other professional musicians I've met, actually worked at Disneyland and performed as part of the band back in the day. It certainly feels right to meet people so successful at what I work at everyday and to know that they too worked for Disney, the same place I hope to end up in my future. 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on March 22).

Day 437: Gordon Goodwin

We have some theme music for today's blog post, so go ahead and hit play on this YouTube video!

Now, I'm sure that just about all of us have seen the National Treasure movies, along with stuff such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice, right? Of course we have! But do you know who did the music? Well I obviously do, and here's a hint: it's in the title today. 

That's right, Gordon Goodwin, most well known for his Big Phat Band featuring some of the world's best musicians, at least if you ask me. For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of going to the Shawano Jazz Festival. If you remember correctly, a year ago I went with the Jazz Band and had a chance to perform with my favorite saxophone player, Eric Marienthal. It was the experience of a lifetime! And this year, he brought Gordon Goodwin himself along for the ride!

While I'm not a member of the jazz band anymore, Megan and I tagged along to see their clinic, as well as others throughout the day, and then stay for the afternoon workshop and concert, featuring, you guessed it, Gordon Goodwin and Eric Marienthal. 

But that wasn't even the best part. After the concert, Megan and I set out on our mission to find the two of them for an autograph. We didn't know there was a table already set up for signing, and we ended up heading down the hallway they were coming down on their way to said table. In other words, we ended up being the first people to get their autographs, and the two of them actually ended up having an argument on my program where they signed. It was hilarious. 

In other words, I got to meet my favorite sax player yet again, as well as Gordon Goodwin, the person who arranged music for many Disney films. They actually both have been involved with Disney for years, so it fits perfectly for me! Plus the concert was AMAZING. Absolutely AMAZING. Like I have no words, ever, for how awesome it was. 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on March 25 due to Midterms and Travel).

Day 68: Playing the Saxophone

As I mentioned yesterday, today my jazz band headed to a nearby city to perform at a jazz festival...and while originally I was under the impression that it would be a terrible day, it turned out to be one of the best days ever.

We headed out early in the morning, as we were the first group to perform in our room, and everything went alright. Well, it went as good as I figured it would, but then my band director, being the brilliant person he is, suggested that our clinicians, a trumpet professor, a student teacher who specializes in percussion and a professional saxophonist (Eric Marienthal), join us and play with us for the last five minutes of our time. Now, I initially thought that Eric would go to sit in the second row next to one of our altos that was playing a trombone part, but no...he grabbed a chair and sax right next to me...and read off MY part! I was literally freaking out...or at least as much as I can when he's sitting right next to me. And so we played part of one of our songs, and it was the most fun I have ever had in all of Jazz Band...probably in all of my time playing music period. It was only a couple of minutes but it was great!!! We went back for pictures..as you can see below, I couldn't really stop smiling.

I also got into the All Star Band, meaning that I got to practice a song with a select group for under and hour and then perform it during a concert for everyone attending the festival. It was also an amazing experience, and after that we had the privilege of listening to the professionals play...and that was simply amazing. I 100% suggest that if you are into music and have the opportunity to hear a professional play like that...do it, especially if it's something you love, just as Jazz is for me.

And you know, it always helps when the professionals were both members of the Disneyland Band back in the day. I thought that was just awesome.

Here's today's Disney History: 2001: Disney Channel's original movie, The Luck of the Irish, airs. A teenager must battle for a gold charm to keep his family from being controlled by an evil leprechaun. It will be the network's highest-rated original movie in the past three years.

Have a magical day!